Pneumococcal jab in elderly queried

A new vaccine against streptococcal A infection is well tolerated and capable of stimulating an immune response, according to an early trial.

Work on streptococcal A vaccines was halted in the 1970s because of safety fears but is now a priority after increasing problems with antibiotic resistance.

In the new phase I trial, published in JAMA (August 11), healthy volunteers were given a vaccine made from several proteins from the streptococcus A bacterium. They produced immune responses that are likely to confer protection against a range of subtypes of streptococcal A infection.